I know there are often lots of threads about DC and I have been reading them and using all your hints and advice for our quick trip there next week. 
Normally I would have had everything booked for weeks now...but with the shutdown possibility, I waited to book the hotel but have been RESEARCHING and looking. I really wanted to try to keep the hotel to about $100 or less since we are trying to do this very budget, and that is HARD to find in DC I have found. I tried pricelining a few different areas with no success for what I was willing to pay for an unknown hotel. We are going Thurs, Fri and Sat nights which tend to be less expensive in DC...but was still having trouble. Finally, last night I found something I am VERY pleased with.
It is the Washington Marriott Wardman Park. Travelzoo has a deal right now for $99 a night...but when I clicked through to the hotel's own website - there were other package deals listed. For only $10 more, there was a deal with self parking INCLUDED. Normally costs $25 a night. Tripadvisor has mostly very positive reviews (I always expect a couple bad ones) and most of the negatives sited are that it's too big of a hotel, which I can handle. There is a metro stop right around the corner and is walking distance to the zoo, which we plan on going to anyway. The package also includes kids eating free - so we likely will take advantage of the breakfast buffet once since we can get them for free.
Anyway, just thought I'd share in case anyone else was having a tough time finding ANYTHING 3 star or above that would be at or around $100 with parking included in that and a good location. $109 was the best I could do.
Only negative is that the pool is only seasonal....I was hoping to find a heated or indoor one - but we LIKELY wouldn't have had much time for it anyway - so no big deal.
Normally I would have had everything booked for weeks now...but with the shutdown possibility, I waited to book the hotel but have been RESEARCHING and looking. I really wanted to try to keep the hotel to about $100 or less since we are trying to do this very budget, and that is HARD to find in DC I have found. I tried pricelining a few different areas with no success for what I was willing to pay for an unknown hotel. We are going Thurs, Fri and Sat nights which tend to be less expensive in DC...but was still having trouble. Finally, last night I found something I am VERY pleased with.
It is the Washington Marriott Wardman Park. Travelzoo has a deal right now for $99 a night...but when I clicked through to the hotel's own website - there were other package deals listed. For only $10 more, there was a deal with self parking INCLUDED. Normally costs $25 a night. Tripadvisor has mostly very positive reviews (I always expect a couple bad ones) and most of the negatives sited are that it's too big of a hotel, which I can handle. There is a metro stop right around the corner and is walking distance to the zoo, which we plan on going to anyway. The package also includes kids eating free - so we likely will take advantage of the breakfast buffet once since we can get them for free.
Anyway, just thought I'd share in case anyone else was having a tough time finding ANYTHING 3 star or above that would be at or around $100 with parking included in that and a good location. $109 was the best I could do.
Only negative is that the pool is only seasonal....I was hoping to find a heated or indoor one - but we LIKELY wouldn't have had much time for it anyway - so no big deal.
